The field of the invention comprises apparatus, methods and materials for the reclamation of beach areas, lake bottoms and uplands, and in particular, environmentally benign apparatus and methods that can meet the approval of both riparian land owners and governmental licensing authorities.
Historically, efficient means of beach reclamation to provide for erosion control or to cover areas of muck and decaying vegetation has required the use of heavy equipment such as bulldozers, front end loaders and dump trucks on the beach area. Even where the use of such heavy equipment on the beach has not been objectionable, the nearby upland has also been significantly damaged by the movement of the heavy equipment down to the beach area and multiple trips by large dump trucks bringing sand, gravel and other supplies to the beach. Natural uplands, in particular, immediately adjacent the beach area, usually are partially covered by stands of natural grasses that provide the first line of defense against erosion. These areas are particularly delicate and easily damaged or completely destroyed by heavy equipment, all-terrain vehicles and even large numbers of persons enjoying the beach. Where the upland area has been developed with lawns and landscaping, the damage caused by heavy vehicles and apparatus can be extensive and very expensive to repair.
Barge mounted sand pumps and pumps permanently mounted adjacent inlets where sand bars constantly form are well known and have been used to create artificial beaches and repair existing beaches by utilizing sand from an adjacent location. In such cases, the sand or sand and gravel is already thoroughly saturated with water and merely pumped from the bottom of the water body through hoses to the new location.
In the construction of artificial lagoons, canals and in beach reclamation, it is sometimes necessary to deter or prevent the growth of green plants and to stabilize the beach area or underwater area. U.S. Pat. No. 2,333,287 discloses a protective lining for canals intended to be impermeable to water seepage and to prevent vegetative growth. The lining and barrier comprises a textile or reticular mat embedded to reinforce layers of asphaltic material.
More recently, methods and materials have been developed to seal lagoons and pits for the storage of hazardous wastes in a manner harmless to underground water supplies. U.S. Pat. No. 4,194,855 discloses such an earthen pit provided with an impermeable polyvinyl cloride sheet placed between layers of finely ground slag. The impermeable barrier is intended to prevent the passage of any liquids or gases into the earth below, and thereby prevent any contamination of underground water supplies.
Similar liners have been developed for cooling water supply lagoons and waste lagoons wherein there is a dual purpose. Firstly, the liner is intended to prevent the seepage and loss of water from the lagoon into the ground and ground water therebelow; and second, the layer or barrier is intended to deter or prevent the growth of aquatic plants. The installation and use of such pond liners as barriers can result in difficult problems with air or gasses produced by organic decomposition below the liner. U.S. Pat No. 4,294,589 discloses a method of removing entrapped air from beneath the pond liner by progressively removing the air and water from beneath the liner as the pond is filled. The method is directed to lagoons that are empty before the liner is to be placed therein. In this method the lagoon is partially filled with water and then the water and air withdrawn from underneath the liner as additional water is pumped on top of the liner.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,577,996 discloses a silicone rubber coated fabric that utilizes a filler to increase the specific gravity of the liner to an excess of 1, thereby destroying the natural buoyancy of the liner. The filler and silicone rubber also acts as a light barrier to discourage the growth of aquatic plants from beneath the barrier. The barrier is somewhat gas permeable to allow gasses produced by organic decomposition beneath the liner to pass through the liner rather than lifting the liner from the bottom of the pond.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,518,280 discloses a slotted plastic film for use as an aquatic weed barrier. The slots are so positioned that flaps are formed in the plastic film to permit gasses to pass through the barrier and thereby reduce the gas pressure from underneath the barrier, which otherwise might cause the barrier to bubble upward. Such a barrier, however, is not suitable where the plastic film is to be covered with sand or gravel which would likely prevent the flaps from properly opening and permitting the gasses from passing therethrough.
Returning to the slurry pumps noted above, U.S. Pat. No. 4,451,180 discloses a railroad car mounted mixing and pumping apparatus intended for connection with a work train having supply cars with sand, fly ash, water and cement. The mixing and pumping apparatus on the rail car is adapted to mix and pump a slurry of the above constituents and supply the slurry under pressure to an injection rack attached to the mixing and pumping rail car. The injection rack in turn is equipped with a plurality of injectors adapted to pass between the railroad ties to inject the slurry mixture therebeneath and, upon the hardening of the slurry, to thereby stabilize the road bed for the track. The mixing and pumping rail car includes a dry pre-mix pug mill supplying a feed auger into a wet pug mill mixer, wherefrom the wet slurry is then forced by a slurry pump to the injectors mounted on the injector rack.